23 November 2022
During a routine inspection
We carried out an announced inspection at Lakeside Healthcare at Stamford on 23 November 2022. Overall, the practice is rated as requires improvement.
The ratings for each key question:
Safe – Requires improvement.
Effective – Good
Caring - Requires improvement.
Responsive - Requires improvement.
Well-led – Good.
Following our previous inspection in June 2021, the practice was rated as inadequate and was placed in special measures. Following the inspection, the practice was issued with conditions on their registration, in respect of Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment) and two warning notices in relation to Regulation 17 (Good Governance) and Regulation 18 (Staffing).
We carried out a follow-up inspection in September 2021 to check if the provider had complied with the conditions of registration and the two warning notices. We found that although some improvements had been made further work was required. The practice had met the conditions placed on their registration but had still not ensured that care and treatment was provided in a safe way. Following the inspection, the practice was issued with a further warning notice in relation to Regulation 17 (Good Governance) and a requirement notice for Regulation 18 (staffing).
We carried out a follow up inspection in March 2022 to review compliance in relation to being in special measures and to review the compliance with the warning notice for Regulation 17 and requirement notice for Regulation 18. The practice had made improvements and had met the requirement notice for Regulation 18, but further work was required, and a requirement notice for Regulation 17 was issued.
This comprehensive inspection was carried out in November 2022 to review compliance in relation to being in special measures and to review the compliance with the requirement notice for Regulation 17.
How we carried out the inspection
Throughout the pandemic CQC has continued to regulate and respond to risk. However, taking into account the circumstances arising as a result of the pandemic, and in order to reduce risk, we have conducted our inspections differently.
This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site. This was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements.
This included:
- Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system and discussing findings with the provider
- Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider
- Requesting evidence from the provider
- A short site visit
Our findings
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- what we found when we inspected
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
We have rated this practice as requires improvement overall.
- The practice had carried out a significant amount of work to improve the service since the last inspection.
- Patients mainly received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
- The practice had effective systems in place for the appropriate and safe use of medicines, including medicines optimisation.
- There were sufficient systems and oversight in place to ensure the dispensaries
were adequately and safely managed.
- Appropriate standards of cleanliness and hygiene were met.
However:
- Overall, the process in place for medicine reviews and the monitoring of long-term conditions was effective but continued work was required on consistency for checking contraindications of medicines.
- There were effective systems to assess, monitor and manage risks to patient safety.
- The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs, with continued work needed to improve patient access to the service.
- There was poor patient feedback relating to access and care in the GP National Survey, directly to CQC and to Healthwatch Lincolnshire.
- Leaders demonstrated that they had the required capacity and skills, but further work was required to embed systems and processes in order for them to deliver high quality sustainable care.
- Most governance arrangements were now in place, but further work was required to embed these systems and to ensure they were managed effectively.
In response to these findings the provider should:
- Ensure the capture all of the learning and outcomes from errors, incidents and significant events to enable sharing of good practice and to reduce the risk of recurrence. This includes incidents in the practice’s dispensaries.
- Continue action to improve the uptake of childhood immunisations and cervical screening.
I am taking this service out of special measures. This recognises the significant improvements that have been made to the quality of care provided by this service.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA
Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services